Abstract:
A micelle consists of monolayer of lipid molecules containing hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tail. These amphiphilic molecules in aqueous environment aggregate spontaneously into monomolecular layer held together due to hydrophobic effect by weak non-covalent forces. Micelles are flexible surfaces that show variety of shapes of different topology, but remarkably in mechanical equilibrium conditions they are spherical in shape. The shape and size of a micelle are functions of many variables such as lipid concentration, temperature, ionic stren (...)
A micelle consists of monolayer of lipid molecules containing hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tail. These amphiphilic molecules in aqueous environment aggregate spontaneously into monomolecular layer held together due to hydrophobic effect by weak non-covalent forces. Micelles are flexible surfaces that show variety of shapes of different topology, but remarkably in mechanical equilibrium conditions they are spherical in shape. The shape and size of a micelle are functions of many variables such as lipid concentration, temperature, ionic strength, etc. Addressing the question, why the shape of micelles is sphere in mechanical equilibrium conditions, analytically proved to be a difficult problem. In the following paper we offer the shortest and elegant analytical proof of micelles spheroidal nature when they are thermodynamically equilibrated with solvent. The formalism presented in this paper can be readily extended to any homogenous surfaces, such are vesicles and membranes. (Read More)
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